Bleak Day-Bleaker Days

I awoke to about three to four inches of snow on the ground. As beautiful as the post card scene was, I don't care to drive in it. Not so much because of me, but primarily due to the skills or should I say lack thereof, of the other maniacs traversing the snowy and icy roadways. That's why I'm ecstatic that my daily work commute is one mile door to door.

As I arrived at work, the snow turned to icy rain, which began to make things a bit messy, as well as ruining the pretty post card scene. It's still sleeting as I type this. Cold, wet, bleak and gloomy. It's doing wonders for my mood today-growwl-gerrr!

Things turned much bleaker as I read the paper. I came across a tragic story of HORRIFIC proportions. I'm sure you've read, seen, or heard by now about the man in LA who shot and killed his 5 children and wife before turning the gun on himself. Ervin Antonio along with his wife Ana, had both recently lost their jobs as medical workers at an LA hospital.

Apparently Ervin became so uncharacteristically distraught, he saw no way out but to murder his family along with himself. His five beautiful, innocent children included two sets of twins.

Those that really know me, and they're few, know that I'm a pretty sensitive guy despite seemingly snarky and quite sarcastic on my blog. It's a curse/blessing from my mother. From her, I received the ability to somewhat easily empathise and sympathise even with those I do not know, like this family for instance. Reading the story while looking at the photographs, specifically of the children, brought me to tears. I'm glad no one walked in on me. There's NO crying in baseball or at HQ's!

About a month or two ago a man in my town, I think not much older than I, hung himself in his house while his young son was home. Apparently he took his own life due to terrible financial loss. How awful for his family. I can't even begin to imagine what kind of man his son will grow to be. I believe suicide to be the ultimate selfish act. Emotional scars rarely heal unlike the physical kind. We live in scary times. So much heartbreak and loss. More than I can ever recall seeing so far in my life. I never would have thought I would see things like this, and quite honestly it scares me.

In 1971 (I think it was) a man by the name of John List, who lived in town, shot and killed his mother, wife, two young sons, and a teenage daughter. He said it was because he was in effect, financially ruined. He also said he was afraid because of this and the times they lived in, so he took it upon himself to play God, killing his family in cold blood, "sending them to heaven". The huge irony being that the ceiling above the ballroom in his mansion was Tiffany glass, and would have basically, albeit temporarily, solved his financial woes. There is so much to this tragic, but interesting story. His wife and three children are buried in the cemetery where I live. Google his name. Be prepared for a lot of reading.

On a brighter note.................sadly I can't think of anything at the moment.